Quentin Tarantino Reveals “Crazy” Reason for Cancelling His Final Film, The Movie Critic

After months of silence and fan speculation, legendary director Quentin Tarantino has finally opened up about the shocking decision to cancel what was supposed to be his 10th and final film: The Movie Critic. And true to Tarantino’s bold, unpredictable style, the reason behind the move is as unexpected as it is deeply personal.

Initially, The Movie Critic was imagined as a gritty, nostalgic dive into 1970s Los Angeles, inspired by a real-life film critic who wrote outrageous reviews for a porn magazine. Tarantino was fascinated by the critic’s voice—funny, offensive, brutally honest. The project evolved from a miniseries into a feature film, and the script was reportedly near completion. The film even included scenes where the critic reimagined and rewrote iconic movie endings—Tarantino being Tarantino.

But then, something changed.

In a recent interview, Tarantino revealed that during pre-production, a nagging feeling took hold: he realized he just wasn’t excited to make it. Despite the story’s originality, he felt like he’d been here before. “It was too much like Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” he admitted. The 1970s setting, the nostalgic tone, the love letter to a bygone era of cinema—it all started to feel like a repeat. And that, for Tarantino, was unacceptable.

“Every Tarantino movie comes with a promise. This one didn’t,” he said bluntly. “A movie about a critic? It just didn’t feel right.”

For a filmmaker known for his precision and passion, the lack of creative fire was a red flag. He could have pushed through, completed the film, and closed out his directing career with a safe choice. But that’s not who Tarantino is. Instead, he chose to scrap the project entirely—despite months of work, buzz from fans, and industry expectations.

Importantly, he also addressed rumors that The Movie Critic was a sequel to Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. That, he said, was “nonsense.” The two films may have shared a similar setting, but no characters crossed over. It wasn’t Cliff Booth’s story, and it wasn’t Rick Dalton’s either. This was something entirely different—yet somehow too familiar.

Still, this doesn’t mean Tarantino is done. Far from it.

While The Movie Critic is off the table, another project is already in motion: The Adventures of Cliff Booth, a spin-off from Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, will be directed by David Fincher for Netflix, with Tarantino involved as a writer and producer. It’s not the “10th film,” but it’s keeping fans intrigued—and hopeful.

As for what comes next, Tarantino is leaving the door open. He’s still determined to go out on a high note. He just refuses to go out with something that feels like a copy of his past work. In true Tarantino fashion, if he’s going to say goodbye, he’s going to do it on his own terms—with something bold, original, and unforgettable.

Until then, The Movie Critic will remain a fascinating “what could’ve been”—a script that nearly closed a legendary career, but didn’t burn bright enough for the final cut.